"The on-going Lok Sabha elections is an historic opportunity for the people to accelerate the campaign for change in the state," former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and patron of Peoples Democratic Party, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said in Jammu.

He was addressing a meeting of prominent Gujjar leaders from Nagrota, Samba and Gandhi Nagar Assembly segments.

Terming general elections as a trailer before the Assembly polls, Mufti urged the gathering to make use of this opportunity to send credible and trustworthy representatives to the Parliament.

"PDP has fielded trustworthy, credible, tested and capable candidates who have enough potential to take up peoples' issue in the Parliament with conviction," he said.

Citing some media reports, Mufti alleged that sitting Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members from Jammu and Kashmir have failed to utilize funds allotted to them under MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS).

"Some reports revealed that MPs of Jammu and Kashmir have failed to use more than Rs 33 crore under the MPLADS resulting in withholding of funds to the tune of more than Rs 41 crore by the Centre," he claimed.

Stating that his party was contesting the Lok Sabha elections to give voice to peoples' wishes and aspirations, Mufti said, "There is a need to elect those representatives who would serve the people with dedication and sincerity."